I am an angry citizen tonight, I am livid.

Don’t get me wrong though, I am not exactly mad because Mumbai has been treated as a sitting duck yet again, I am not mad because this is not the first time that the nation’s financial capital has taken a blow owing of it’s much debated, yet remarkably bad coastal security, I am not mad because this time the buggers showed up in boats formerly belonging to Indian fishermen, I am not mad because the buccaneers ran across streets free and unrestricted, emptying magazine after magazine of bullets on innocent, unsuspecting people, most of whom were foreign tourists, I am definitely not mad at the concerned (yet I very much doubt it) Home Minister and I most definitely am not angry at all with the Centre as it is supremely illogical expecting any strong action from such a wimp of a Ministry, that immediately after it’s inception had POTA repealed calling it a ‘Draconian legislation’. Clearly, none of them did a complete job, none of them leafed through the TADA.

What has gotten my blood simmering is but the shattering slap on the face, the pain of which, at this point, I seem to be feeling personally. It is the thought of the destroyed families of the likes of late Inspector Hemant Karkare, Encounter legend, Vijay Salaskar, Additional Police Commissioner, Ashok Kamte and Major Unnikrishnan, probably the only class of individuals in the country who know and appreciate fully the method of dealing with such predicaments, it is the realisation that in reality, the Indian Intelligence is nothing but a joke, it is the idea that the ISI chief is going to be ‘invited’ to India to take evidence and is probably not going to be sent back to Pakistan in a body bag with a bullet in his skull, is exactly what gets me seething.

I am angry because yet again will such insult have to be borne timidly by not only the physically and emotionally bruised Mumbai-kars but the entire nation. And we shall stay quiet once again. We shall ‘exchange intelligence’ with Islamabad and not invade it, we shall ‘hold talks’ and ‘act tough’ with Bangladesh and not bomb it’s terrorist infrastructure to bits, we shall keep letting settlers in without issuing them ID cards and I am angry as we shall again believe the Politicians next time they lie that the nation is in safe hands. This slumber, this docility is suffocating.

I quite agree with adman Mr. Alyque Padamsee's assertion that an undertaking should be sought from the ruling party stating that if such a security breach were to take place once again they’d allow themselves to be thrown out. Also the question by him, that after the attacks on November 26th why were there no resignation letters from the Intelligence fraternity is highly relevant!

Another such attack and it could have very serious consequences on the nation’s political and economic establishment and at this juncture that’s the last thing we can afford. The masses would pour out into the streets and go on a destructive rampage, countless offices would be destroyed, people killed; there would be processions and a likely communal explosion resulting in massacres and finally, a Gujarat like situation.
Where were Mumbai’s big-mouthed Saffron comedians and their poodles when the Taj burnt? Where were their gallant men when Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus came under attack? I wouldn’t hesitate to go to the extent of saying that the Hotel Staff at Taj and Café Leopold proved to be the actual lion-hearts when things came to saving lives and delving into action in the face of danger.


We have just about had enough with people deliberating on and on about legislations, enough of the Politicians hog washing us the minute they get an opportunity, enough of this lollipop-ministry and enough of shuddering about Geo-political consequences. If I may be allowed to say so we need a change in the Government and someone like Mr Modi taking care of business at the Centre. We need a strong Internal Security Cell with trusted people from the forces running it and having links with the Centre only. We need a very strong Anti-Corruption Legislation and there under an active Anti Corruption Department, again, comprising of persons appointed by the President after consulting the Chief Justice; and finally, POTA needs to be resurrected.
Defences need to be built along the Western coastline with the Indian Navy keeping a closer watch. Police reforms need to be introduced and better training, gear and weapons should be provided to the Police force.
Citizens must play a major role in co-operating with the authorities in their efforts to curb terrorism by doing whatever it takes to assist them and abiding by the law.
Finally, we need to quit going easy on our insidiously hypocritical Western neighbour who's literally been asking to be bombed back to the stone age for decades.
Its time we either put those Sukhois and T-90s to use or donate them to Sri Lanka where they’ll be put to much better use.